


Eyes on me

by Ruler_of_Nope_Island



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Do Not Archive, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 05:32:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13734189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruler_of_Nope_Island/pseuds/Ruler_of_Nope_Island
Summary: Elias asks Nathaniel Lukas for a favour and lives to regret it, as the archive staff learn how to turn the situation to their advantage. Rated for later chapters.  Tags, warnings and relationships to be added as the fic progresses.





	Eyes on me

“How long have we known each other, Elias?” Nathaniel, graceful as ever, manages to get out of the bath without spilling even a drop of water on the floor. He picks up a towel and wraps it around himself - a strange habit, since he’s always bone dry. Elias resents how little the man shows his age; a slight greying at the temples and a few extra lines around his mouth but he’s still as lean and muscled as he was when they first met.  
“About twenty years.”  
“Nineteen years, thirty weeks, six days, four hours and twenty six minutes.”  
“I forget your aptitude for precision.”  
“I forget nothing.”  
Elias resists the urge to roll his eyes.   
“So I know when you’re about to ask for a favour.”  
Of course he does.  
“So you’ll know that I have recently added new staff to the archives.”  
“That’s vaguely interesting, I suppose.”  
“And they are being...recalcitrant.”   
“Unfortunate but not my problem.”  
“I was hoping...:”  
“Ah. Say no more.”  
He hands Elias a towel. The bath has been ice-cold ever since Nathaniel joined him, so he’s glad to step out.   
“Preferably for the rest of the night.”  
Elias sighs internally. But Nathaniel has ever been generous, both to himself and the Institute.   
“You know,” Nathaniel says thoughtfully, as he eyes Elias’s body, “You should get out behind that desk a bit more. I’ve never really understood the allure of...meat, but I think the butchery would find you very appealing these days. But the Beholding doesn’t have the preservative qualities of the Vast, so I suppose it’s to be expected.”  
He takes Elias’s face in his hands. The cold from emanating from his fingers is painful. Then he leans forward for a kiss, which Elias - despite nineteen years, thirty weeks, six days, four hours and twenty six minutes of experience - still flinches back from. Nathaniel’s fingers dig in and his smile is as wide and empty as the winter sky. 

*****

The Institute is strangely empty when the archival staff (such as they are) trickle in. There hasn’t been any fire drills - they would have been warned- and it certainly isn’t a holiday. They get on with it, though. Jonathan catches up on his emails and puts Basira through her paces, Martin hovers helpfully, Tim stares into a box of papers, and Melanie does some actual work. It’s only when Basira goes upstairs and finds the building still empty that they begin to feel very strange. And it’s only when Daisy appears and says that there are no people in the street that they begin to feel very alarmed. Then Jonathan finds a tape on his desk. It has a post-it note on it.

“PLEASE LISTEN.”

They listen to Barnabas's statement in silence. 

“Well,” says Martin, “At least we’re not going to be completely alone.”

It was at this point a familiar refrain started up; Tim angry, Jonathan defensive, and Martin mediating between the two. 

The former detective, former policewoman, and former paranormal investigator decide to leave the room, as it was getting increasingly fraught and they have better things to do; firstly, using the statement, extrapolate on the rules on this strange situation. Firstly: Barnabas could interact with the physical world as he had left a statement. Only the people were missing. So Melanie put forward a theory, and they set about testing it.

Of course, the rigours of scientific investigation and testing of various hypotheses can only entertain for so long; as do the same emotionally laden arguments and the resulting fallout. Thankfully (or not) Melanie finds someone’s leftover wine stash from the Christmas Party and they all try out getting absolutely shitfaced as an alternative to increasing boredom, misanthropy and emotional distress.

It works, surprisingly. 

Then Tim suggests a game of “Never have I ever,” and, believing that this is their end, the rest agree. 

This is dutifully relayed back to Nathaniel Lukas via Elias, as they take their (as Nathaniel has demanded) nightly bath. 

“How long will you keep them there?” Nathaniel asks idly, running his fingers along Elias’s spine. 

“Long enough to make my point.”

“After all this time,” Nathaniel observes, “You still flinch.”


End file.
